“If I beat my against this desk, maybe things will make sense," Angela murmured. "Or if I beat someone else's head against this desk...." She eyed Jared speculatively”

“Angela spared a glare for Kami, and then resumed her marathon glaring session at Jared. 'It's too weird. I'm going to call you Carl.'Jared scowled. 'I don't want you to call me Carl.''That's interesting, Carl,' said Angela, cheering up.”

“How do you deal with it?" Kami asked Jared. "The laughing at nothing and occasionally stopping dead in your tracks.""I have a system where when I stop, I lean casually against something," Jared told her. "It makes people think I'm a bad boy. Or possibly that I have a bad back.”

“Jared glared. Some people, Kami knew, had bedroom eyes. She was saddened to have to admit that Jared had filthy alleyway eyes. The thought reached Jared and he tilted his head, and Kami felt what he felt: startled and amused.”

“What the hell is going on?" demanded Kami's dad, advancing with his black eyes snapping. Jared blurted, "My intentions are honourable."Kami sat up straight in her bed and stared in Jared's direction. "Are you completely crazy?" she wanted to know. "This isn't the eighteenth century. How do you think that's going to help?""Well, I mean," Jared said, back against the wall like a cornered animal. "When we're older. I mean-""Please shut up," Kami begged."I agree with Kami," said Dad. "When you're in an abyss-like hole, quit digging.”

“What's going on with you? Jared asked out of the blue.Beginning a new era of journalistic history, Kami told him, sending her cheer through their connection. Also, to be perfectly honest, Angela and I were slapping our asses.As one does.”

“If you weren’t there, how do you know someone pushed her?” Sergeant Kenn asked.“Well …,” said Jared.“And what were you doing, running through a strange town at night?”“I was jogging?” Jared offered.“Without your shirt or your shoes?”“Uh,” said Jared.”